Switching of the Chiral Magnetic Domains in the Hybrid Molecular/Inorganic Multiferroic (ND4)2[FeCl5(D2O)]

(ND4)2[FeCl5(D2O)] represents a promising example of the hybrid molecular/inorganic approach to create materials with strong magneto-electric coupling. Neutron spherical polarimetry, which is directly sensitive to the absolute magnetic configuration and domain population, has been used in this work...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Rodríguez-Velamazán, J.A., Fabelo, O., Campo, J., Rodríguez-Carvajal, J., Qureshi, N., Chapon, L.C.
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2018
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Zaragoza
Repositorio:Zaguán. Repositorio Digital de la Universidad de Zaragoza
OAI Identifier:oai:zaguan.unizar.es:74955
Acceso en línea:http://zaguan.unizar.es/record/74955
Access Level:acceso abierto
Descripción
Sumario:(ND4)2[FeCl5(D2O)] represents a promising example of the hybrid molecular/inorganic approach to create materials with strong magneto-electric coupling. Neutron spherical polarimetry, which is directly sensitive to the absolute magnetic configuration and domain population, has been used in this work to unambiguously prove the multiferroicity of this material. We demonstrate that the application of an electric field upon cooling results in the stabilization of a single-cycloidal magnetic domain below 6.9 K, while poling in the opposite electric field direction produces the full population of the domain with opposite magnetic chirality. We prove the complete switchability of the magnetic domains at low temperature by the applied electric field, which constitutes a direct proof of the strong magnetoelectric coupling. Additionally, we refine the magnetic structure of the ordered ground state, deducing the underlying magnetic space group consistent with the direction of the ferroelectric polarization, and we provide evidence of a collinear amplitude-modulated state with magnetic moments along the a-axis in the temperature region between 6.9 and 7.2 K.